Researching to Build Knowledge and Teaching Others- connecting literacy to informational texts
Grade Level: 3rd
Subject: ELA
Time Frame: Quarter 2- 8 weeks
Essential Questions
Speaking and Listening:
- what are the different kinds of roles people have when working in a group?
- What characteristics do effective group members have?
- how do we have collaborative conversations?
- why is it important to speak clearly with appropriate volume and pitch?
- what information is important to consider when giving a presentation?
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Reading:
- How do we use different reading strategies to better understand a variety of texts?
- How is accuracy in reading like accuracy in mathematics?
- How does structure affect our understanding of a text?
- How does comparing two texts help our understanding of what we read?
Writing:
- How do we connect ideas when writing?
- How do we structure writing effectively?
- How do we support our opinions?
- How do we gather accurate information?
- Why is it important for us to label text features?
- How do we structure writing effectively?
- Why do we use dialogue and description in narrative writing?
- how do we structure our writing effectively?
- Why do we need more than one resource when researching?
- How do visuals support information presented in research?
Language Usage:
- How do prefixes and suffixes change the meaning of a word?
- How does the root word help us understand the meaning of a word?
- What do we need to be mindful of as a writer?
- What are differences between simple and complex sentences?
- What resources can be used to help small words correctly?
By the End of This Unit, Students Will Be Able To:
Speaking and Listening:
• I can effectively engage in discussions with diverse partners about third-grade topics and texts.
- I can prepare myself to participate in discussions.
- I can draw on information to explore the ideas in a discussion.
- I can follow our class norms when I participate in a conversation.
- I can ask questions so I’m clear about what is being discussed.
- I can ask questions that are on the topic being discussed.
- I can connect my questions to what others say.
- I can explain what I understand about the topic being discussed.
- I can ask questions when I am confused about what a speaker is saying.
• I can answer questions to show what I know when listening to a speaker.
Reading:
• I can ask questions to deepen my understanding of a literary text.
• I can answer questions using specific details from a literary text.
• I can retell a story using key details from the text.
• I can identify the main message or lesson of a story using key details from the text.
• I can describe the characters in a story (traits, motivations, feelings).
• I can explain how a character’s actions contribute to the events in the story
• I can determine the meaning of words using clues from the story.
• I can identify literal and non-literal language in a story.
• I can explain how an illustration contributes to the story (e.g., mood, tone, character, setting).
• I can compare and contrast elements (themes, setting, plots) of stories by the same author (e.g., series books).
• I can ask questions to deepen my understanding of an informational text.
• I can answer questions using specific details from an informational text.
• I can determine the main idea of an informational text.
• I can retell key ideas from an informational text.
• I can describe how events, ideas, or concepts in an informational text are related.
• I can describe steps in a procedure, in the order they should happen.
• I can determine the meaning of unknown words in an informational text.
• I can use text features to locate information efficiently.
• I can use information from illustrations (maps, photographs) to understand informational texts.
• I can use information from the words to understand informational texts.
• I can use a variety of strategies to read words.
- I can identify the meaning of common prefixes and suffixes.
- I can read words with common suffixes.
- I can read words with more than one syllable.
• I can read high-frequency words that don’t “play fair .”
• I can read third-grade-level texts accurately and fluently to make meaning.
- I can read third-grade-level texts with purpose.
- I can read third-grade-level texts with fluency.
- I can use clues in the text to check my accuracy.
- I can reread to make sure that what I’m reading makes sense
Writing:
• I can write informative/explanatory texts that convey ideas and information clearly. a. I can write an informative/explanatory text that has a clear topic.
- I can group supporting facts together about a topic in an informative/explanatory text using both text and illustrations.
- I can develop the topic with facts, definitions, and details.
- I can use linking words and phrases (e.g., also, another, and, more, but) to connect ideas within categories of information.
- I can construct a closure on the topic of an informative/explanatory text.
• With support from adults, I can produce writing that is appropriate to task and purpose.
• With support from peers and adults, I can use the writing process to plan, revise, and edit my writing.
• I can conduct a research project to become knowledgeable about a topic
• I can recall information from experiences.
• I can document what I learn about a topic by taking notes.
• I can sort evidence into provided categories
Language Usage:
• I can use grammar conventions to send a clear message to a reader or listener.
- I can explain the functions of nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs.
- I can use regular and irregular plural nouns.
- I can use abstract nouns (e.g., childhood).
- I can use regular and irregular verbs.
- I can use simple verb tenses (e.g., I walked; I walk; I will walk).
- I can make subjects and verbs agree in my writing.
- I can make pronouns and antecedents agree in my writing. - - I can use adjectives to describe nouns.
- I can use adverbs to describe actions.
- I can use coordinating and subordinating conjunctions.
- I can write simple, complex, and compound sentences.
• I can use conventions to send a clear message to my reader.
- I can capitalize appropriate words in titles.
- I can use commas in addresses.
- I can use commas and quotation marks in dialogue.
- I can use possessives in my writing.
- I can spell words that have suffixes added to base words correctly.
- I can use spelling patterns to spell words correctly.
- I can use resources to check and correct my spelling.
• I can express ideas using carefully chosen words.
• I can compare how people use language when they write versus when they talk.
• I can use a variety of strategies to determine the meaning of words and phrases.
- I can use what the sentence says to help me to determine what a word or phrase means.
- I can use common prefixes to help me determine what a word means (e.g., agreeable/disagreeable, comfortable/uncomfortable, care/careless, heat/preheat).
- I can use the meaning of root words to help me determine the meaning of new words with the same root (e.g., company, companion).
- I can use resource materials (glossaries and dictionaries) to help me determine the meaning of key words and phrases.
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Assessments
- selected response and short-constructed response
- writing of a research-based informational paragraph (extended response)
- book discussions with text-dependent questions
- reading and writing informational text
- use the writing process to write a letter
- research-based letter to author
- research-based scaffold narrative and explanatory letter
Topics
• Building background knowledge on the key concept
• Close reading of informational text tied to the key concept
• Asking and answering questions about chosen literary text
• Identifying customs and traditions in a literary text
• Using text features to locate information
• Identifying key components in
informational text
• Introduce paragraph writing
• Comparing key components from the literary text with key components in the informational text
• Launching book club systems and structures
• Preparing for ongoing discussions
• Asking and answering questions about the
chosen literary text
• Identifying key components in a
literary text
• Using text features to locate information
• Using a variety of resource materials
• Synthesizing research
• Discussions comparing texts
• Preparing to write a letter to author
• Capturing key details from research for letter
• Using the writing process to write a letter to
author
• Revising carefully for language standards.
• Editing for conventions
Common Core Standards:
RL.3.1;
RI.3.1; RI.3.2; RI.3.3; RI.3.5;
W.3.2; W.3.4; W3.7; W.3.8;
SL.3.1; SL.3.3;
L.3.1.h; L.3.1.i; L.3.2.f; L.3.3.a